


Pros and Con(vention)s of Friendship

by Tamachii



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Real World, Comedy, Convention!AU, Conventions, Developing Friendships, Diakko Friendship, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, How Do I Tag, Literally in the title, Slow Burn, Sorry Not Sorry, Tags May Change, This is about building a friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-02-23 12:07:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23711239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tamachii/pseuds/Tamachii
Summary: One summer break is all it takes to forge new friendships and start new rivalries. One invitation is all it takes to change the lives of a group of girls forever. One vacation is all it takes to make them question the sanity level of a certain hyperactive goofball...some "friends", huh?Let the Convention weekend (mis)adventures begin!ORIt's the silly Convention!AU that rips our favorite little witches out of their world and into our own. Fasten your seat belts, and know where your towels are, because this is about to get intense. And when Akko is involved, there's no telling what might happen...
Relationships: Atsuko "Akko" Kagari & Amanda O'Neill, Atsuko "Akko" Kagari & Sucy Manbavaran & Lotte Yanson, Diana Cavendish & Amanda O'Neill, Diana Cavendish & Atsuko "Akko" Kagari, Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 16
Kudos: 28





	1. MirrorCon

**Author's Note:**

> A few people have requested recently that I revive the entirely nonsensical madness known as the Convention!AU, so this is for you guys! Huge shout outs to Dr Hyde, and NeoLight. Also to Elska_Elu, you have my thanks for fixing the banner. And for being such an amazing friend in general.
> 
> Lastly, a super special shout out to the one who initially inspired me to write this massive project to begin with, whether she knows it or not... katillac25. Editing this because she doesn't read my stuff, but if I hadn't known her, I wouldn't have been able to actually go through with this crazy plan of mine. It wouldn't exist to begin with, so yay... my initial nightmare fuel source?? I'm joking...probably...
> 
> Thank you guys, and I hope everyone that asked for this craziness is able enjoy the unspeakable chaos you all seem so oddly determined to wish into existence. You people are really gluttons for punishment, aren't you? Welp, if that's what you want, then so be it! Without further delay, let's hop right to it!

Chapter One - MirrorCon

  
  
  


It was another hot day during the summer, but the residents of the bustling city were used to the weather patterns and barely seemed to notice it at that point. Most carried personal fans on them, whether they were battery operated ones that let you include ice cubes at the base for a quick spritz of water to accompany the slight breeze, or usb connected ones powered by a cell phone, or even hand fans if the person felt fancy or was a nerd, closeted or not. 

  
  
  


Speaking of nerds, an overwhelmingly large crowd has already formed in the early morning hour of nine hours past midnight, when the sun was already high enough to cause problems with vision while driving but not yet the heat of the day, it didn't matter so much. The sun was not yet the main concern for those standing so anxiously in zigzagging lines, chatting excitedly with others they knew or mindlessly goofing off on their phones and trying to suppress the absolute excitement they felt, within their minds, bodies, hearts and their very souls. 

  
  
  


Today was the first of a four day event that had fans flocking to it from all around the world. It had existed for quite a few years, always drawing in more and more people every single year and expanding to a size almost too massive for the building to contain. This led to lines being capped, only allowing so many to enter any given event or panel or autograph session but as disappointing as it was to be denied these chances, there was so much to do at the event itself that one was never too far from a good time and other things quickly filled the hole left behind, because those were the rules and for the safety and well being of the many.

  
  
  


The Attendees knew this well, those that had paid a pretty penny to get inside and enjoy what it had to offer. So many different things to do, more than one day was required to see and experience it all. A unique atmosphere, to be sure, and the energy that surrounded it as long as it lasted was so strong that it was almost something people could see, taste, and smell, not just feel. Of course, with any public event that becomes popular, the risk of smelling things that leave a sour note on the experience is a given, which is why some warnings were issued beforehand. The part about wearing comfortable shoes, showering daily and wearing deodorant were especially important and were heavily stressed, but only so much could be done to prevent illness. There was a specific kind, known to those that would frequent these types of events, and it was rather unpleasant to find that it had been caught due to being around other people for an extended period of time, but that was one of the risks involved with any public activity and if caution and preventative measures were taken, the chances of getting sick were lessened. Some things in life are worth taking the extra time to complete.

  
  
  


Hidden among the long line that stretched around three-quarters of the building was a group of four girls, each with different levels of enthusiasm written on their faces. A pale, almost sickly looking girl with hair that covered one eye and a rather apathetic air to her was at the back of the group, seemingly bored already, kept giving other people death glares if they stared in her direction for too long. In front of her was a short redhead with glasses, and she seemed nervous but in a way that screamed anxiety mixed with excitement as she glanced around before tuning back into the conversation between the taller, rather energetic brunette with an asymmetrical cut to her bangs and the most unusual shade of red eyes. She was, at that moment, finishing a tale of recent events to an even taller redhead with emerald green eyes and an air of mischief, but was the one responsible for them being there to begin with.

  
  
  


“...and then I said, ‘if you don’t like the way I cook, maybe you should do it yourself next time!’ Which, thinking back on it now, probably wasn't my best idea. My mom banned me from baking for a whole month after that **and** made me clean up the kitchen by myself. I’m just lucky it wasn't with a toothbrush, I’ve heard that happens to some kids. But I tried so hard not to burn the cookies that time! She was just mad that I used up all of her special chocolate chips in one day.”

  
  
  


The redhead at the front of their group had a look halfway between being impressed and horrified, but couldn't help laughing as a result.

  
  
  


“Geez, Akko. That wasn’t a very bright idea, but you brought that one on yourself. Even if you were frustrated, talking back to her like that after stealing her “special chocolate chips” was not going to do you any favors.”

  
  
  


Akko growled lowly and threw her hands up at the way her supposed friend reacted. Also, the use of air quotes implied something that could easily be misinterpreted if anyone should happen to overhear their conversation. 

  
  
  


“I know that now, but how was I supposed to know you have to let the cookies bake _as directed_ ? I thought I could save time by increasing the temperature! And she didn’t exactly tell me _not_ to use both bags, so whose fault is it here, really?”

  
  
  


Amanda, the taller redhead, snickered at that but said nothing.

  
  
  


“But at least it's not a repeat of your “ _special brownies_ ”, Amanda!”

  
  
  


A vein popped on Amanda's forehead over the implied use of air quotes, but that wasn’t the issue she had with her best friend’s comment. Her pride had just taken a hit and she would not let that slide.

  
  
  


“Hey! I'll have you know that my brownies are _highly_ sought after **and** they taste amazing! Everyone wants a batch, but you just don't seem to appreciate what I risked in order to get us here. We can still leave, you know. It’s not too late.”

  
  
  


Akko was shocked at that, but before she could reply with more than a dramatic gasp, a small and concerned voice spoke up from behind them.

  
  
  


“Akko, Amanda, there’s no need to fight about it. And people are starting to stare.”

  
  
  


The two girls in question looked around, and found that the surrounding lines were full of people pretending not to have been looking at them and failing. Also a couple people that gave Amanda a quick thumbs-up when she caught their eye, and she and Akko went mostly silent for a few minutes so that they would no longer be the center of attention. Then, after people gave up on free entertainment, they both sighed and muttered a quick apology to each other. The heat outside was gradually rising as the sun did, and it was forecast to be a fairly unbearable day if one were to be stuck outside for too long at once, but after a quick glance at her watch, the soft spoken girl behind Akko gasped softly and announced that the doors should be opening soon.

  
  
  


Sure enough, she was right. Not more than five minutes later, cheering from the front of the line could be heard and like a wave, it made its way down the line of people clearly eager to get inside the building and into the air conditioning, to start what was sure to be yet another successful year at the convention center. The crowd slowly inched forward and after a few more minutes, Akko finally got a good look at the front of the building, where a huge banner displayed a logo and a friendly message to all who gazed upon it.

  
  
  


_Welcome to MirrorCon 20XX! We hope you can reflect on your experiences and memories here with as much joy as we had creating them.  
_

  
  
  


How they managed to fit all of that onto a single banner should have been something that occurred to her, but she could only stare in quiet awe, as her breath hitched and she smiled, looking around her and finally having the gravity of where she was hit her. Her inner fire roared to life in that moment, filling her with such a feeling of joy that it bubbled up from deep within and she could do nothing to contain it. She cheered, loudly, along with so many others as they sounded off their approval at simply being there. 

  
  
  


Some were there for the first time, some were repeat attendees, but they were all there for the same reason in the end. Wherever they came from, whatever their age, skin color, or any other factor didn’t matter. They were all there to have fun, to enjoy themselves, to be completely open and honest and to connect with other like-minded people in a space just for them. It was a safe, judgement-free zone and that feeling surrounded her, surrounded everyone, there was something to it that she couldn’t quite put a name to but as it washed over her alongside the rush of cold air as they entered the building itself, Akko smiled widely and tried to soak it all in.

  
  
  


She was slowly starting to understand what the big deal was about this place. It had an almost _magical_ quality to it, like an aura all its own, and she may have only been there for a short time but she was becoming gradually even more restless than usual. Standing in line had a way of making time slow down to a crawl, but now that she was about to have so many firsts, she was getting even more pumped up. She was ready to start a journey over the next four days that she was already sure would be jam packed with fun times and stories to share, even well after it was over with. She was ready to explore, so what was the hold up?

  
  
  


The problem with looking around and not paying attention to what’s in front of the path is that accidents happen and Amanda grunted when Akko suddenly came to a stop and ran into her back. Akko, similarly, let out a noise halfway between a grunt and a yelp before grabbing her nose and soothing the small pain away -

_I might be cute now, but I can't let anything change that. If people knew my confidence was just an act, they'd treat me like a kid again!_

\- before she inquired as to the reason Amanda stopped walking forward. Her words were slightly muffled as she tended to her poor nose, and made sure there was no lasting damages.

"Hey, what gives??"

  
  


“Seriously, dude? Stop spacing out and staring at everything like a _tourist_ ,” Amanda started, pointedly ignoring Akko’s loud and obvious cry of disapproval, “it's unsettling. Meanwhile, the rest of us got through the security checkpoint and are waiting to pick up our badges from the workers at **those** tables.”

  
  
  


Amanda pointed vaguely in the direction they were now facing, and there was a row of tables set up, with Volunteers and Staff members for the Convention making sure people got through the last part of the initial process, which Amanda had explained previously only took place the first day you were there and wouldn’t need to be repeated unless you somehow lost your badge. The group had all glanced worriedly at Akko for a moment during the lesson on what to expect, something she didn't realize because she was too focused on learning more of the basics but would have been quite upset about if she had known, and Amanda reluctantly gave the rest of her speech after briefly wondering if the enthusiastic girl sitting cross-legged in a chair and leaning forward, not unlike a child excited for a bedtime story, would really be okay. That was not necessarily a fun day, but it was necessary, all the same.

  
  
  


(They had no reason, at least so far, to have worried. Akko had proven to be quite responsible with the paper ticket she was tasked with holding onto, in order to pick up her badge, and was actually clinging to it at that moment. Lotte and Amanda wouldn’t admit to it, but they had printed a duplicate copy for themselves, just in case. Sucy had refused, stating that if the hyperactive goofball was stupid enough to lose one copy, she would deserve her fate and it had no way of affecting her own business, so she couldn't bring herself to care beyond that point. 

  
  


Akko on the other hand, repeatedly assured them that she knew _exactly_ where she had been keeping it until the day they boarded a plane and landed safely at the local airport. After the first few times, they had no choice but to believe her, but remained slightly skeptical, because Akko had a track record of misplacing items in the past. They normally showed up later on, having been hidden in plain sight most often, but the one thing that bothered her roommates the most was the lack of headphones. Sucy had given her a warning to purchase backups and use them, or suffer a fate more severe than the worst thing Akko could possibly imagine, multiplied by ten.

  
  


And given how active her imagination could be, she gulped loudly and nodded, too scared of the mushroom fanatic’s experiments and threats by that point (ever since her hospital stay, actually) to question her on it.)

  
  


The closer to the front of the line they got, the more Akko seemed to bounce in place due to her sheer excitement at the possibilities they had before them. Lotte tried to gently coax her friend into staying still, but much like an old styled video game character, Akko didn't seem to be able to stand completely still, and instead settled on swaying back and forth on the balls of her feet. Not exactly what the goal was, but it was still the best the other three girls could hope for. At least her mouth wasn't going a mile a minute instead, and although it was rare for her, they appreciated it. Sucy suddenly yawned, reminding Lotte that someone was behind her and she jumped before looking back and seeing her friend blinking as if she were in pain. After a confused and concerned glance over her shoulder, Sucy waved her concern off. 

  
  


“I was sleeping.”

  
  


Lotte nodded, and smiled softly. One of the oddest quirks that her friend had was that she could fall asleep with her eyes open. No one really thought to question her on it, after initially being exposed to it, but it may have appeared strange to anyone that didn't already know her. Even Akko had grown to accept the fact over time, and that was due to her nature. Lotte may have been shocked the first time, but Amanda had the least amount of surprise when she was told and said that everyone had some tic or other and shrugged it off.

  
  
  


Back in the present, Amanda smirked at the other three.

  
  
  


“Alright, we’re up. Just remember what I told you and have fun, okay?”

  
  
  


Without waiting for any reply, she walked forward and handed her printout to the person behind the desk. The barcode was scanned, she was handed a plastic badge and lanyard, and quickly wrote her name onto the front of the badge before walking into the main area and waiting on the others to catch up. Akko quite enthusiastically handed her paper over, striking up a short conversation while she waited and thanking the person before grabbing a bag full of mystery items and smiling and rushing over to meet up with her newest college friend. She opened the bag and peered inside, wondering what it was supposed to be, and was both disappointed and confused by what she found. Random papers, advertisements, and a magazine?

  
  


“That’s called a program guide, dummy. Not that you’ll be able to read it, but it summarizes what happens at these events.” Sucy offered, having caught up and smiled with a shark-toothed grin.

  
  


“Wait a minute, how do _you_ know that?? You’ve never been to a convention either, Su!”

  
  


“Because, I did research of my own ahead of time. Anyone with more than two brain cells knows how to use Go*gle.” 

  
  


What was actually being implied finally caught up to her and Akko predictably turned red with anger and was about to deny the claims, when Lotte beat her to the punch.

  
  
  


“Sucy! Stop being so mean, we’re here to have fun, remember?” Lotte sent a pointed look at her roommate, which Sucy simply clicked her tongue at but remained quiet otherwise, and then the bespectacled girl smiled at Akko reassuringly.

  
  
  


Akko calmed down after sending a look of her own to the other girl, but it wasn't in Sucy’s nature to apologize when she felt she was right about something, so they had to let it go. And Lotte was right, they were there to have fun together. With that thought in mind, she smiled brightly and moved on.

  
  
  


“So what do you guys want to do first?”

  
  
  


Lotte smiled apologetically and was about to comment but Sucy started walking away without answering. Lotte looked between the two and slowly backed away, much to Akko’s confusion.

  
  
  


“Ah, sorry Akko. Sucy and I have something we need to go take care of, but we’ll meet up later on, okay?”

  
  
  


Akko was about to protest but Sucy was getting farther away. With one last sheepish glance, Lotte turned around and quickly walked after her, calling out in the hopes that Sucy would stop long enough for her to catch up. Akko was never good at hiding her emotions, so the disappointment and sadness was written all over her face.

  
  
  


“Don’t worry about those two, you know they can handle themselves. Besides, I’m the best tour guide around. So c’mon, I’ll give you the grand tour.”

  
  
  


Akko was disappointed, but she knew better than to dwell on it. Amanda was right. They could manage on their own, because for all the effort Sucy put into making sure people left her alone, and as shy as Lotte tended to be, nothing bad would happen as long as they stayed together. Sucy was secretly protective of her friends, as she often declared that only she was allowed to mess with them when others had threatened to be bullies in the past. Akko just needed to believe in that, and she still had Amanda’s company, so she shook her head and followed along. She wasn't about to spend the entire weekend worrying over them when she could be having fun herself. It was shaping up to be a good one, so the sooner they started the better! Time to explore and really enjoy what it had to offer, so she happily followed Amanda around and became familiarized with the building.

  
  


~ * ~

Akko flopped over onto her bed face first and groaned loudly into the pillow, staying like that for a long moment before rolling over onto her back and as she sighed in boredom. Amanda had gone to take a quick shower before the dinner preparations would start, but they had all stressed to her that she didn't need to worry about helping out. They had it covered and they didn't want a repeat of the last time she tried to assist them in a group meal.

  
  
  


When the college threatened to take action if the fire department was called _one more time_ , a new rule about her staying out of the way was put into place. They all cared about her, and they knew she meant well, but it was for the best if she helped out in some other way.

  
  
  


Which meant that Akko had nothing but time, and no way to spend it. She had changed into her pajamas roughly fifteen minutes ago, while the others were busy discussing what dinner should even be, and she was ushered out of the kitchen. Having no other options, she returned to the room to wait until she was called back down. Waiting for something to happen like this was just draining, but what could she do to make it pass by faster?

  
  
  


Glancing at her cell phone for the time, a thought occurred to her. It had been so long since she rewatched her favorite childhood anime series, known as the Shiny Chariot Show. It may not be widely known in the current day, but she never grew bored of seeing it. Now seemed like as good a time as any, so she reached into her backpack to retrieve her ear buds before proceeding to fire up the only video streaming service currently having the rights to it.

  
  
  


After getting comfortable, she set her phone up for a marathon of as many episodes as she could manage to watch in the available time, and the rest of the world dissolved into the background. She didn't even notice when Amanda dropped into the room to leave her dirty clothes in the laundry basket, grab her phone and shake her head at how into the marathon she was. Akko was a hardcore fan, no matter how much time had passed since the show ended. Amanda decided not to comment and went out to the hallway, dialing someone to inform them that it was time to show up for dinner. 

  
  
  


Lotte was mixing some lemonade and preparing the tea when the American entered the kitchen afterwards. Sucy had been exiled to the table, which had been set and was staring intently at the stove, almost as if she concentrated hard enough, she could burn a hole in it. Amanda didn't need to think too hard about the reason why, they were having a steak dinner and it was a well-known fact that she should not be trusted with the choice of mushrooms that went with it. Only one time was enough, and Amanda winced at the memory of it, feeling a sudden pain shoot across her stomach. Probably best to leave that topic in the past.

  
  
  


Duke, her uncle, was currently fretting over a cookbook recipe and worriedly muttering to himself about how to properly cook the steaks. This was the first time he would have done so, but Amanda took pity on him, rolled her eyes, and walked over to show him how it was done. She had finished walking him through the correct process when the doorbell rang and Amanda looked over to the entrance way.

  
  
  


“Just remember to be careful, you’ve got this one. She’s here, so just keep an eye on them. And don’t let it splatter on you like you did with the bacon grease, okay? I have to get the door!”

  
  
  


With that said, she passed by Sucy and Lotte, now seated at the table since the drinks were made and in the fridge for the moment, ignoring the looks they sent her. The door opened after a short set of light knocks were heard. It was almost as if the person on the other side wasn't sure whether anyone was home, and was trying to be polite in case it was a bad time. Flinging the door open with a grin, Amanda greeted the new guest and leaned in to say something private, only to laugh at whatever the response was and finally stood aside so that they could enter the home.

  
  
  


A young woman that clearly knew her way around the house stepped into the kitchen, carrying a backpack and set it down onto one of the unoccupied chairs. She had a polite smile on her face, and between her natural blonde hair, with some tea green highlights, and her clear blue eyes, she seemed a bit stiff in her movements but turned to the girls seated at the table and hesitated. Amanda had told her she would be bringing some friends for a two-week stay at her childhood home, and had shared basic details about each of them to try and assist Diana with easing into the experience of meeting her other friends from the college she had insisted upon attending so far from home, but admittedly, the tall blonde did not know enough to properly greet them. Sensing the change in her own high school frenemy - they had once been at each other’s throats at every turn, before a tentative truce, then friendship, was struck following an incident in the school library - Amanda fought back a smile and came to her rescue.

  
  
  


“So, this is my old rival, and excuse her look of surprise, she’s just a private person and can be a real stick in the mud. Lotte, Sucy, meet Diana Cavendish.”

  
  
  


Diana wisely chose to ignore her, although something dangerous flashed in her eyes.

  
  
  


“Although I do not agree with her assessment of me, it is good to finally be able to put faces to names. O’Neill has informed me of your stay, and I trust you will each form your own opinions of me, instead of blindly listening to the words of fools.”

  
  
  
  


“It’s nice to meet you too, Diana. How did you two become friends?” Lotte asked, conversationally.

  
  
  
  


Amanda looked uncomfortable once it seemed as if too much of her past was about to be revealed, and quickly stepped in to change the topic. Or she would have, if the sound of sobbing hadn’t drowned out her sounds of protest, echoing around the room from in front of the stove. Diana excused herself to take over preparing the meal once Duke had started crying, going so far as to insist it was because of the onions he was adding. They had long since been cut, however, and Amanda shook her head in disbelief.

  
  
  
  


After they spent time discussing the current day events, Sucy cackled at a particularly bad disaster only she thought was amusing, when the staircase creaked and informed them that the last member would be joining them shortly. Angry muttering would have tipped them off otherwise, as Akko descended the stairs in a huff but they had no way of knowing what she was upset over because she fell silent when she looked up finally in the doorway. And proceeded to stare at the stranger near the stove, who just so happened to be dressed in blue jeans, a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up the the elbows, and was protecting them with appeared to be a cooking apron that depicted a unicorn. The oddest part was quite possibly the design of said unicorn. Colors so bright that at one point in time, they would have looked more at place under a black-light than on something like that, but was that really the most important thing right now? 

  
  
  


Akko blinked rapidly and returned back down to the ground level of the house she was in, feeling as if something about it was vaguely familiar. She quickly dismissed thoughts of the faded and now pastel rainbow unicorn in favor of making an introduction and finding out who the mystery girl was that was making them all dinner, so she walked further into the room to do just that. She had really been planning on it, until Amanda interrupted her.

  
  
  


“Yo, Cavendish! Your new best friend has finally joined us. Get over here and say hi to her.”

  
  
  


Diana seemed to be content with the steak’s progress, and turned the stove off. Then she quickly washed and dried her hands before setting the towel down and finally turned towards the group to introduce herself to the final member of the college friends staying with the outspoken and reckless redhead. She had learned over time that most of her comments were only meant to rile her up, and that ignoring the way those thoughts were _phrased_ while instead focusing on the _meaning_ behind the words was the only way to preserve her sanity. It was easier said than done when the other girl got too out of control and made some rather...adult-oriented jokes, which Diana was quick to shut down and deny, if they were directed at her specifically, so by this point she simply went along with it because it would be the polite and proper thing to do, not because Amanda had demanded it of her.

  
  
  


However, once their eyes met, neither one seemed capable of speaking. They froze for a moment, lost in something only they could understand. Akko was certainly not what she had been expecting. For one thing, she had intense red eyes and an asymmetrical cut to her bangs. While not unheard of, seeing as how Diana had something rather similar with her own hairstyle, it was strange for her to see it on someone else.

  
  
  


‘ _For that matter, what is she thinking with an outfit like that? Do those even count as shorts? And to show so much skin, has she no sense of shame or modesty..?_ ’

  
  
  
  


Diana’s cheeks turned pink as her own thought process caught up to her.

  
  
  


‘ _Stars above, I have spent too much time around O’Neill if I’m allowing myself to question such a thing. Control yourself, a Cavendish does not judge someone based solely on physical appearances._ ’

  
  
  


While ultimately short in the long run, the silence of that first meeting had lasted long enough for the others to notice. Sucy looked disinterested as usual, but she could use this as potential blackmail material, depending on how it played out. Lotte smiled to herself, certain that Akko was going to make a new friend soon enough. And Amanda was smirking, quite pleased with herself for an as-of-yet unknown reason. Duke looked around at the others but knew better than to comment. He was still busy, feeling badly about failing to properly cook dinner, and was fighting the urge to retire to his study and paint. Painting was easier than cooking, which is why he let other people take care of such things.

  
  
  


Diana recovered before Akko did, but before she could even raise her arm fully to offer a handshake with her introduction, Akko gasped dramatically, pointed at her and all but shouted at her in excitement.

  
  
  


"I remember why you seem so familiar now! You're that horse girl!"


	2. Night-mare Fuel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner group date, Amanda plotting like the sneaky but protective older sister she is, and another round of panicking from our favorite blonde.
> 
> (My apologies for this being an awkward chapter that is mostly filler, but it sets up some future events, and is therefore necessary.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks go out to my supporters. The few of you that left comments, everyone that left a kudos and especially a shout out to my little sister Elska for making me get over my fear of the cursed au I started and that she made an edit for. link at the end because its a minor spoiler if you read this before the actual chapter, but I hated it at the time of its creation which is why Els didnt give me credit. But I will own it now, and please do check out her tumblr and follow her, praise her and shower her in love and attention. She's a really good artist, and a really good friend. Love ya, sis!!
> 
> One more super special shout out goes to my cosplay fandom hero who I finally got to talk to, and who requested more of this nonsensical nightmare fueled passion project. She *is* Akko imo - and don't judge me please... but when Akko Kagari herself requests more of your fanfiction, you don't say no to her... Longerwait, you are a gift, so this chapter is for you and Els. (Please join my Akko Army, I am quite serious about that becoming a thing)
> 
> Edit - forgot to mention that I did edit the first chapter a bit, before updating it with this new one. I don't believe that much changed, but in order for stuff to make sense overall, please do give it a glance over if you read it before. Most important change is that I meant for this to be a 4-Day Convention but accidentally wrote 3 a lot. Oof...that will be important overall, but please enjoy this update and leave some feedback for me if you can! Thank you for reading, and sorry that LIFE is making updates so painfully slow..!

~ * ~

_I remember why you seem so familiar now! You're that horse girl!_

* * *

  
  


A brief beat of silence followed this declaration where no one really moved, they simply stared and blinked, looking back and forth between the two as if this were some free show right before their meal.

  
  


"Excuse me?"

  
  


Akko was beaming in excitement still and charged on ahead with her enthusiastic rant. She was either unaware of the tension in the air, or somehow managed to ignore it.

  
  


“You're the one from the Diana Sanders meme, right?? You're internet famous! Wow, and so much prettier in person! This is so cool....oh, I'm Akko by the way. Akko Kagari. It's a pleasure to meet you!”

  
  


Akko had invaded her personal space for a few seconds while she spoke, then retreated and grinned, clearly pleased with how things were going so far. She was about to make a new friend, she just knew it!

  
  


Diana just looked at her as if she was trying to decipher a new language - which was one of her many talents and she had learned a few for the potential future benefits - but the girl standing in front of her was a **mystery**. After a pause, in which a look of intense confusion had overtaken her expression, but no further explanations were given, she decided to prompt it. The look of pure awe and silent expectation was becoming a little too much for the blonde's comfort level.

  
  


“I-I beg your pardon..?” she managed to stutter, which she internally scolded herself for, but that was hardly the most important thing at the present moment.

  
  


A noise of much more muted confusion left Akko, before she seemed to pick up on the fact that Diana must have forgotten about her own meme.

  
  


“Ah, I'll show you! It’s really taking off, give me a minute to find it…”

  
  


With a look of concentration, in which her tongue poked slightly through her lips, Akko grabbed her phone from her pocket and scrolled down through the posts she had liked on her social media account. When she finally found it, she got close enough to Diana to brush shoulders with her, either ignoring the strangled sound of protesting from the blonde who had been distracted by how quickly the brunette was becoming comfortable with the lack of personal space being kept between them, and was suddenly finding herself...staring _at_ _herself_ in a series of gradually more ridiculous combinations of her own image being mixed with that of a horse, and then somehow ending on her being drawn as some sort of chimaera that had the strangest mythological beasts she had ever seen in her life.

  
  


_Was that a unicorn being mixed with a centaur that had her most basic features attached to it? What in the world was going on that people would do this to someone, and why??_

  
  


“So what do you think of the last one? Pretty amazing, isn't it? That was added recently and people really went nuts over this new meme! It's so funny!! Ah, that's right! Diana, could I have your autogr--”

  
  


Diana’s eye was twitching but other than that and a slight redness gradually taking over her cheeks, she gave no signs of reacting to it at all. Akko was cut off mid-rant by a rather undignified snort leaving the other girl, before she incredulously demanded to know the answer to the only question running through her mind.

  
  


“Who was responsible for this idea, initially?”

  
  


Akko seemed surprised by this and blinked up at her.

  
  


“Well, Amanda sent me the first one through the chat feature. But isn’t this you?”

  
  


A certain eerie calm overtook Diana in that moment, as she found herself understanding exactly how much sense that made. Then, slowly and as if to emphasize just what her newfound knowledge brought, she turned in the direction of Amanda, who had paled considerably at the mention of her own name and was sitting in her chair and looking uncomfortable. After years of knowing the blonde, she had a pretty good guess at what was coming next. Diana narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, dragging out the silence just long enough for Amanda to become agitated and willing to answer her question.

  
  


With a deadly glare that promised a slow death, and spoke more of swords made out of ice and less of daggers, she spoke in an icy tone.

  
  


“Care to explain **this** one, O’Neill?”

  
  


Amanda gulped audibly, but then used every ounce of false confidence she could when faced with someone that gave off the aura that could almost be seen for how dark and barely concealed as it was, and did the one thing she did best – she hid behind her own oversized ego and spun the truth to her advantage.

  
  


“It was just a joke, _princess_ . And you have always loved horses, so this was a way to make it funny and even _you_ have to admit the entertainment value behind it. Don’t take it so seriously. In fact, if anything, I did you a favor.”

  
  


Diana merely blinked and waited to see if the hot-blooded and rather smug looking master of mischief would add anything else to her absurd effort at evading the real issue with this entire situation, being that she used the heiress’ likeness very much without permission purely for her own amusement and gain, but before she could even begin to launch into a lecture on why that was so bad, a noise from behind her interrupted them all.

  
  


It sounded like an angry wolf growling and Akko smiled sheepishly afterwards, rubbing the back of her neck and the tension in the air finally seemed to dissolve. Lotte and Duke had been hesitating and looking rather uncomfortably at the two frenemies, but the sound of Akko’s stomach sounding off reminded them that dinner was waiting to be served.

  
  


“H-heh, sorry guys...I haven’t eaten recently, and it smells _really_ good!”

  
  


Sucy was standing at the island now, already munching on some sauteed mushrooms she had prepared at some point during that exchange. Amanda, Duke, Lotte and Diana glanced over at the paler girl as she dropped her plate into the sink, and one of the steaks was missing from the pan.That must have been what Akko was referring to. Sucy shrugged at the varying looks directed her way.

  
  


“As much fun as that was to watch, you’re all slow. Not my problem, but I was hungry. So I ate.”

  
  


Amanda actually looked annoyed at this for a moment before shaking her head and sharing a look with Duke. He nodded, and stood to start serving the others. He could do that much, at least. Once everyone else had their plates full and the drinks were poured, the awkward air had been lifted and Akko ravenously attacked her steak. Diana watched in mild horror as Akko seemed to be using her hands more than her silverware and yet, no one else spared her a second glance.

  
  


“Would you like some assistance cutting that into more manageable pieces?”

  
  


Akko stopped her tug-of-war with the steak and glanced over at the blonde, part of it still in her mouth, mid-bite. Blinking a couple times, she quickly finished tearing off a small portion and dropped the rest of the steak back onto her plate. Then, nodded, and smiled at her new friend.

  
  


“Yes please!”

  
  


Diana took the fork and steak knife and tried to ignore the way the girl was looking at her now and showed her the proper way to cut the piece of meat. Once the plate was pushed back in front of her, the brunette quickly swallowed her mouthful of bread and grinned at the blonde.

  
  


“Thank you for helping me, Diana!”

  
  


It was such a simple thing but Diana had never met someone like this energetic, cute girl before and…

  
  


_‘Wait, what am I thinking? Considering her_ **_cute_ ** _?? Get a hold of yourself, you just met her. She’s rather childish, but even so…’_

  
  


Diana coughed awkwardly and that was the only outwardly display of her inner thoughts that escaped.

  
  


“You’re welcome. Perhaps in the future, this will help you not to eat like such an animal.”

  
  


“You’re right, I should be more carefu--hey, I’m not _that_ bad!”

  
  


Sucy, who had nothing better to do than sit back and watch the others, shifted her eyes away from a certain redhead with glasses and felt the need to comment right at that moment.  
  
  
  


“No, you’re pretty much just like that. It’s like watching a feral dog eating, but at least it was amusing while it lasted.”

  
  


“Su! You don't need to give your thoughts on this one, I don’t want to hear it from someone that adds random mushrooms from the forest to her food!”

  
  


Sucy’s stopped laughing immediately and turned to glare at Akko with such intensity that the sudden change sent a shiver up the latter’s spine.  
  
  


  
“What was that? Did you want to try those ‘random mushrooms’ the next time you go to reach for your pickled plums?”

  
  


Akko gasped loudly but also recoiled and glared back.

  
  


“You _wouldn't_..!”

  
  


A sort of electric energy passed over the table until the sound of metal clattering onto a plate shook the room, along with a stressed out cry.

  
  


“Girls! Stop fighting!”

  
  


Sucy looked as if she was about to start growling but turned her head away and scoffed, glaring at the far wall instead. Akko pouted angrily and crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair and Lotte, for her part, sighed heavily. She had a much harder time, recently, with keeping the peace between those two. They didn't always get along, but they were friends, and it was a tiresome, thankless job. But Lotte knew they cared for each other, even if the mushroom vs pickled plum debate was nothing new, it was one that always caused their respective anger to flare.

  
  


Amanda just glanced around as if she were bored, or used to it, before going back to finishing her steak. Diana, being new to this, was confused at the sudden argument and unsure what to do or say. Duke looked as if he lost a couple more years off of his life but quietly sipped his lemonade to keep from saying something that would potentially make the situation worse. Dinner was a quiet affair after that, and as soon as Lotte had taken her dishes over to the sink and handed them off to Diana, who had offered to wash them along with Akko drying, she grabbed Sucy’s wrist and dragged her back to their shared room for a talk. Sucy didn’t even try to fight her on it, knowing that it was inevitable. This happened often, and she just sighed softly.  
  
  
  
Duke quickly excused himself to go back to his office, to get some painting done. Which left Amanda sitting at the table, quietly observing the two standing at the sink. Akko was trying to engage Diana in a conversation about whatever randomness entered her head, but Diana was more of a quiet listener and focused on her task. Amanda should have been happy, her plan was slowly unfolding, but something was bothering her about how quickly it was progressing. Diana normally kept her walls up, she smiled in a polite but usually fake way. Yet, here she was, acting almost welcoming of the brunette’s stubborn but caring nature. Something felt wrong here, those two were acting like friends already and if this kept up...she wouldn't get her real goal achieved at all.

  
  


There was no entertainment if those two just clicked and got along so well from the start. Amanda was busy getting lost in thought over how to fix this new problem. Sure, Akko had this air to her that made people get attached, but even if people were drawn to her, this was happening too fast for the Irish descendent to handle. Something needed to disrupt them, and soon. Drama was tricky, and if Amanda wasn’t careful, she could be on the receiving end of a storm. But it was way too boring this way and after a few minutes of watching them, Amanda smiled to herself, a plan forming in her head that would surely give everyone what they wanted.

  
  


Grabbing her phone from her pocket, her smile turned more evil in appearance as she sent a message to the two people that could help her, without raising any suspicion on the blonde’s end. After it was sent off, Amanda spoke up and planted an idea into the two oblivious girls’ heads that would lead to a laugh down the line.

  
  


“Hey, Akko,” Amanda waited for the girl to look back at her before asking, “how do you feel about a party at the end of the Convention? One last celebration as a group before we go our separate ways.”

  
  


The way Akko lit up at that suggestion was worth the trouble it would also bring. A megawatt grin and, if someone were close enough to see her eyes, a shine like stars suddenly seemed to overtake her. Diana just so happened to be close enough to see this, and she didn’t even notice the slight blush running across her cheeks as Akko turned that look her way.

  
  


“Diana! Say you’ll come as well, please? Say you’ll be there?”

  
  


The rest of the world melted away for a few seconds, and Diana’s breath hitched under the weight of the gaze. She didn't trust her own voice and nodded numbly, which was apparently all the reaction the other girl needed. Akko giggled and threw her arms around the blonde, catching her off guard and causing her to tense up.

  
  


“A-Akko, please! We’re in the middle of something else right now.”

  
  


Diana had stumbled backwards slightly, but her hands were very soapy still and was more embarrassed than annoyed. Her cheeks darkened a couple shades and they had once again forgotten that they had an audience. Akko was laughing for some reason, Diana was looking anywhere but at the one currently clinging to her, clearly nervous and unsure of what to do with this strange development. Amanda took a picture sneakily, and smirked to herself.

  
  


‘Maybe this isn’t so bad after all. That’s a nice expression, princess...this should be fun, but they better thank me for it later...’

  
  


A moment later, Amanda scoffed and couldn’t hold her tongue any longer.

  
  


“Geez, you two are way too saccharine. Get a room already, you’re still in _my_ kitchen.”

  
  


Diana flinched and her eyes widened slightly, and Akko jumped but let go of Diana as if she’d been burned. Backing away, muttering a rushed apology and laughing nervously, she grabbed the previously discarded dish towel and quickly got back to drying the plates in front of her, her head down in shame.

  
  


_‘What the hell, Amanda?? Way to make it weird! I was just happy to make a new friend...Diana_ is _a friend now, isn't she?’_

  
  


A quick side glance at the blonde revealed nothing, so Akko went back to focusing on her task, hoping to finish quickly and escape the now awkward air surrounding them.

  
  


Diana had closed her eyes and was focusing on her breathing. She was almost done with washing the dishes and needed to return to her room for the night. Quickly rinsing the last cup out and setting it aside for Akko to get to when she was ready, Diana dried her hands and then packed up her supplies into her backpack and turned to the smug American redhead standing by the front door, waiting to see her off. Passing her by, but pausing just outside the front door, she gathered her thoughts.

  
  


“Thank you for inviting me to meet your new friends, O’Neill. They seem like a lively bunch, but you seem to be doing fine now.”

  
Amanda shook her head at that, leaning against the doorway.

  
  


“Don’t get sappy on me now, Cav. You almost sound as if you care about me, saying things like that. But I can tell you like them, so I’ll pass along the message.”

  
  


Diana looked up at the night sky, as if the stars held the answers she was seeking.

  
  


“Contrary to popular belief, I do care.” 

  
  


Amanda almost missed that, with it being whispered so quietly that it was nearly lost in the breeze that picked up in that moment. Amanda said nothing, she knew as much, but they were frenemies for a reason. Neither one would voice it, but they did care about each other. They just showed it more than said as much.

  
  


Diana turned to look at her host for the night, over her shoulder, with a determination that had been missing for some time now.

  
  


“I may not yet know what you’re planning, but rest assured that whatever it is, it will never work. I am happy with my life as it is now. If you’ll excuse me, I must return to the cabin.”

  
  


Amanda scowled, watching her leave. Diana was not any better at dealing with people than her, but that high and mighty attitude of hers was why she spent most of her time alone, studying, and had so few friends.

  
  


_‘We’ll see about that, won’t we? I know you better than you think, but you have your head so far up your own….grrr, why should I even go so far for someone like that?’_

  
  


After Diana was out of her line of sight, she went back inside and shut the door with more force than she intended. She knew exactly why she was going so far as to help Diana. The memory of that incident in the library still haunted her, even a few years after the fact. She would never breathe a word of it, and those two followers of the blonde had been sworn to secrecy, but it still greatly bothered her. Diana didn't remember it, but it was better that way. Everyone had secrets to keep, and she could never know the truth, or Amanda’s pride would take a hit that she may not be able to recover from.

  
  


Ruffling her hair in annoyance, the disappointed sounding voice from her right made her jump.

  
  


“She already left?”

  
  


Three simple words was all it took to calm the fire coursing through her veins, and to remind her of why she was holding up the promise she made all those years ago.

  
  


“Yeah, Cavendish is a real weirdo. She spends all of her free time reading books and studying, like a boring bookworm know-it-all. She’ll be busy for a while, but if you’re finished with the dishes, want to play some video games? I just got a copy of that new one that’s popular now.”

  
  


Akko smiled and looked determined.

  
  


“Sure, that sounds like fun! Get ready to lose, I’m pretty good at video games.”

  
  


Amanda laughed but threw her arm around the shorter girl’s shoulder.

  
  


“You never did know when to quit, Akko. Challenge accepted, but don’t cry when you’re the one losing the match.”

  
  


By the time they had stopped playing that night, they were tied and had played a few different games. Akko was yawning and Amanda told her to go to sleep while she cleaned up. It wasn't until Amanda was laying down in her own bed, smiling fondly at the softly snoring brunette that a thought occurred to her and she woke up again. Right before she would have drifted off to sleep, she remembered an important announcement she should have mentioned a lot sooner.

  
  


The next day was when a certain voice actress would start signing autographs. And Akko had no idea, but it was too late to tell her now.

  
  


_‘Well, she was bound to find out sooner or later. I’ll tell her tomorrow, I don’t think any of us could handle her fangirl screaming for the rest of the night…’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Diana Sanders meme, because I said so...
> 
> https://elska-elu.tumblr.com/post/614791022120157184/todays-au
> 
> This may or may not be showing up again later, we shall see...
> 
> Also, I had too much fun with this chapter but the final shout out goes out to my best bro, the irl Amanda in my life and my best buddy Blazestarninja! I love you all and I am so happy to get this one cranked out. I have so many plans and I'm baa~aack, Witches!

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone wants to poke me for updates, feel free to leave a review here or email me at cinnamon.roll.tama@gmail.com
> 
> Reviews make my kokoro go doki doki no waku waku, kudos are very much appreciated, and to anyone out there that dares to dream, just remember...
> 
> 'A believing heart is your magic'
> 
> Thanks for your time, take care of yourselves, and I'll hope to see you all in the next chapter! Until next time, fellow little witches~


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